Architectural Technology students to showcase Upper Bridge Street designs

ARCHITECTURAL Technology students at Inverness College UHI will showcase their exciting plans for the redevelopment of the 1960s Upper Bridge Street buildings in Inverness during an Open Evening on Wednesday (22 May).

Fourth year BSc (Hons) students were set the challenge of redeveloping the 1960s carbuncle site as part of their final year project.

The site was purchased by Highland Council for redevelopment last year.

The students’ work will be showcased during an Engineering and Built Environment Open Evening at Inverness College UHI on Wednesday 22nd May, 4pm to 7pm.

The open evening is an opportunity to find out the range of engineering courses available at Inverness College UHI including mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, motor vehicle and fabrication and welding, as well as built environment programmes, which include architectural technology, civil engineering, quantity surveying and construction management.

Employers will also be in attendance to talk about careers in the engineering industry.

The university’s BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology programme is focussed on ‘live’ projects and enjoys close links with industry, with city architects invited to attend the open evening to view student work and give feedback.

In addition to the designs for Upper Bridge Street, the students will be showcasing their own plans for new sports facilities at Inverness Leisure as well as Prickly Thistle’s Black House Mill. The students’ designs for the mill are currently going through the final stages of the Highland Council planning permission process.

As part of their research, the architectural technology students held a charrette at Inverness College UHI attended by Highland Council planners and representatives from Inverness Business Improvement District (BID) and Inverness Civic Trust, as well as architects’ Maxwell and Co, 360 Architecture, MAAC Studio Architects, HRI Munro Architects, GH Johnston Building Consultants, Helica Scotland Project Managers and Kerr AT Architects. They also held an exhibition at the Eastgate Shopping Centre to gauge public views.  

Iain King, Head of Engineering at Inverness College UHI, said: “Our Engineering and Built Environment Open Evening is a great opportunity to find out about the range of courses we offer, but also the fantastic career options available to people entering this wide and varied industry. We’ll have equipment and student work on display, including designs by our architectural technology students, plus staff and employers will be on hand to answer questions prospective students may have.”